Gerrans Parish Council
MINUTES of the Meeting of Gerrans Parish Council
held on Tuesday 7th March 2017
in the Memorial Hall Annexe
NEXT MEETING – Tuesday 4th April 2017 at 7.30pm in the Memorial Hall Annexe
Present:
Cllrs Case, Edwards, German, Hetherington, Iddison, Meek, Morse, Neal, Taffinder ( Chairman).
S Skull (Clerk), CC Julian German.
5 members of the public attended.
031701
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Cllrs Greenslade, Hatwood.
031702
DECLARATION OF INTERESTS IN ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
– None
031703
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Mr Jon Smith, Chairman of the Roseland Neighbourhood Development Plan (RNDP)’s steering group (SG) addressed the meeting on the RNDP transition strategy. He said that by the end of 2017, after five years, the SG would dissolve itself and the management team would stand down, although the website would continue. He said the Wild Roseland project and the Roseland Community Land Trust were now both flourishing and needed no further support from the SG. The Planning Assessment Group, as a sub-committee of the SG would be wound up, having assessed more than 100 applications to date. Cllr Taffinder thanked Mr Smith for his contribution.
Mr Malcolm Tozer said he had met with the new chairman of the Harbour Club to discuss the operation of the new balcony, and had also put down two resolutions for the Club’s AGM. He reminded all those present that, if members, they had the opportunity to attend that meeting and cast a vote.
031704
MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
The Council accepted the draft minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 7th February 2017 as being a true record subject to the correction of one error. The Chairman signed the corrected minutes.
031705
REVIEW OF MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING – MATTERS ARISING
The clerk reported:
- He had passed on the contact details of Shared Access Ltd to the Roseland Squash Club to open discussions on the potential siting of a mobile phone mast.
- He had enquired about the possible installation of in-pavement solar lights in two footways as requested. Cornwall Council (CC) had recommended instead the installation of mains lighting to CC specification, after which CC could adopt the lights and take over the running costs. The clerk was asked to investigate the costs and other implications of installing new street lighting both by the footways involved and also in a dark spot below Springfield in New Road. Action clerk
031706
CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED
- EMAIL from Truro/Roseland Network Community Network
Invitation to send a representative to the next Panel meeting to update members on how the recent grant of £2,258 has helped with the devolution of the freehold of the children’s playground. Cllr Hetherington said he would be attending the meeting, and the clerk was asked to draft a report and respond to the invitation. Action clerk
There was no further correspondence which would not be addressed in other items on the agenda.
031707
PLANNING MATTERS
APPLICATIONS
The PC had received one new application for comment prior to the publication of the meeting’s agenda. This is outlined below and the PC’s comments were subsequently lodged under “Consultee Comments” in the Online Planning Register.
| Application | Description | PC Comment |
| PA17/01008 | Replacement of existing conservatory with garden room, rear single storey extension with terrace above at Tregerein, New Road. | Unanimous suport. |
DECISIONS
| Application | GPC comment | CC Decision |
| PA16/08661 – Agrigultural barn, Trewithian | Object | (Withdrawn) |
ENFORCEMENT MATTERS
Nothing to report
031708
LOCALISM
Community Assets
The clerk said he had received a response from Cornwall Council to his query on behalf of the PC as to the precise criteria which had not been met in the application for a listing of Gerrans school as a Community Asset, leading to the application’s refusal. The response had been previously circulated and members agreed there was nothing to be achieved by further query, but decided to review the current list of potential Community assets at the April meeting with a view to seeking a pre-application opinion as to whether those assets were likely to comply with the necessary criteria. Action clerk
Other localism issues
– None
031709
COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS
Cllr German, reporting on behalf of the Charities Committee, said the Martin Baker Harris Charity had agreed to sponsor a teacher from Gerrans school to undertake a course in fieldcraft with a view to taking children on outdoor educational trips. The charity’s chairman would also be on the course.
Cllr Iddison said the charity had also agreed to offer matchfunding with any Cornwall Council grant to help with travel expenses for local people seeking to further their education. One such award had already been made.
031710
PARISH CAR PARKING
The clerk reported he had still received no formal draft contract for the transfer of the freehold of Treloan Lane car park from Cornwall Council.
He also reported that the pavement build-out at Victoria Terrace was now completed.
Councillors then discussed the level of car parking charges for 2017-2018. Cllr Edwards proposed (seconded by Cllr Case) that the pay and display charges in New Road car park remain unchanged. This was agreed (8 in favour, 1 abstention). Cllr German proposed (seconded by Cllr Iddison) that the price of permits, having been unchanged for 5 years, should rise as follows:
Resident’s permit (valid New Road and Percuil car parks) up from £18.00 to £20.00, and
Visitor’s permit (valid Percuil car park only) up from £20.00 to £25.00.
This was also agreed (8 in favour, 1 abstention). Action clerk to order permits
031711
CHURCH CLOSE OPEN SPACE AREA
The clerk said that he had still to receive any response from the landlord to his last communication of 29th November 2016. As was agreed at the February meeting, Councillors therefore discussed the purchase and installation of items to enhance the amenity of the space. After the discussion Cllr German proposed (seconded by Cllr Meek) that all the items agreed in the original plan at the September 2016 meeting (minute ref 091612) except the bike run, the sunken trampoline and the barbeques should be acquired in the first instance. This was unanimously agreed. Action clerk
031712
ANNUAL REVIEWS / CHANGES TO PRECEDENT
Councillors reviewed the following previously circulated documents:
– Standing Orders (no changes proposed)
– Financial Regulations (no changes proposed)
– Risk Assessment Management (updated for current year)
Cllr Taffinder proposed (seconded by Cllr Edwards) that all three be approved. Unanimous except for the Financial Regulations, which were approved by 8 votes to 1.
031713
LOCAL ELECTIONS 2017
The clerk reminded the meeting of the timetable and procedures for the forthcoming Parish Council election, which would also be publicised on the Parish notice boards and in the Roseland magazine. He said that he would be collecting nomination packs from County Hall the following day and invited those Councillors intending to stand to ask him for one to be supplied.
031714
FINANCIAL MATTERS
CLERK’S REPORT
The clerk reported that all payments submitted for approval were materially within budget, or within forecast and agreed contingency levels where actual figures were unknown at the time of setting the budget.
ACCOUNTS FOR PAYMENT
It was resolved that the outstanding invoices totalling £13,203.55 (including VAT of £101.05) be paid. A schedule of all the payments is available from the clerk.
BANK RECONCILIATION
The reconciled bank balance as at 25th February was £45,121.69.
031715
OTHER PARISH MATTERS
- Any urgent business
– None
- Matters to be included on the next agenda
– Suggestions for possible renaming of the Church Close site
– Consider banning dogs from the Church Close site
– Consider whether the Cornish Heritage Farm site at Trewithian is being used in contravention of planning consent.
- Minor items for report
– Cllr Iddison said he had received reports of juveniles smoking and drinking at night in the Portscatho public conveniences. The clerk said he was aware, and there had also been a recent incident of vandalism. He said the management of Tatams had the situation in hand but there was a complication that the main door was warped and would not close so the toilets could not be locked. The clerk was asked to try to arrange for repair or replacement of the door and locks within the limit of his budgetary powers as set out in the PC’s Financial Regulations in order to save a month’s delay in putting the expenditure on April’s agenda to approve. Action clerk.
The meeting closed at 9.00 pm